On Saturday
October 17, 2015, Glessner House Museum was presented with the President’s
Award for Stewardship from Landmarks Illinois during the annual Richard H.
Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards.
The award recognized five decades of stewardship for the building since
its rescue from demolition in 1966.
Landmarks
Illinois President Bonnie McDonald, in presenting award, noted how the museum
serves as a model for its work in restoration, preservation, and interpretation. Accepting the award on behalf of the museum
was William Tyre, Executive Director and Curator, whose acceptance speech is
presented in full below.
On behalf of the board of directors and the
staff of Glessner House Museum, I would like to thank the Richard H. Driehaus
Foundation and Landmarks Illinois for this award and the recognition of the
many people who have served as stewards of Glessner House for half a century.
Fifty years ago, Glessner house sat
vacant and for sale and there was a very real threat of demolition. In spite of its national significance and its
designation as a Chicago landmark, which at that time was purely honorary, the
building could easily have been lost to the wrecker’s ball.
But 1966 was also the year of passage for
the National Historic Preservation Act and it was in that year that a small
group of individuals came together with a dream not only to preserve the
building but also to preserve the architectural legacy of Chicago, which was
disappearing at an alarming rate at that time.
In the late 60s and early 70s, Glessner
House was truly at the heart of the preservation movement in Chicago and the
state. Within its walls could be found the
first offices of Landmarks Illinois, as well as those of the Chicago Chapter
AIA, Inland Architect, and the Chicago School of Architecture Foundation which
had been formed specifically to save the building. The concept for the first historic landmark
district in the city was born there as well, when the idea of preserving the
surrounding Prairie Avenue district was considered.
In time, the function of the building
changed and the idea of an accurately furnished historic house museum
evolved. Glessner descendants returned
not only furniture and decorative arts, but also an amazing archive of
materials to help interpret the house and its broader context within Chicago
history. Chicago’s oldest building, the
Clarke House Museum, came under our purview as well.
During all these years, countless
individuals have contributed to the success and vibrancy of the
institution. Dedicated volunteers have
done everything from coordinating fundraising events to clearing rubbish out of
the house and from organizing our archival collection to stuffing envelopes. Enthusiastic docents have given thousands of
tours as the “public face” of the museum, and numerous individuals and
foundations have stepped forward to provide financial support as members and
donors.
Talented craftsmen have lavished attention
on every detail of the house. They often
donate their talents because they feel it is a privilege to work on such a
significant structure. The board and
staff have shaped the vision for the institution from education and
interpretation to programming and restoration.
It has been my privilege every morning for
the past eight years to enter through the front doors of this extraordinary
building. Not a day goes by that I don’t
marvel at the architecture, the collection of decorative arts, and the remarkable
lives of the Glessner family. Nothing
gives me greater pleasure than sharing those treasures with our visitors. We look forward to sharing them with all of
you as we embark upon our next fifty years.
Thank you.
The award, which
is based on terra cotta ornament from the Methodist Book Concern building at
12-14 W. Washington St. (Harry Bergen Wheelock, architect, 1899) will soon be
placed on display in our visitor’s center for all to enjoy.
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